Hoist for semitrailers



Jan. 7,- 1936. H. W. HELMS 2,027,098

/ HOIST FOR SEMITRAILERS Filed April 8, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 7? W612??- 6 2y /1/ 6 ms Jan. 7, 1936. H, w, HELMS 2,027,098

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Jan. 7, 1936. H, w HELM 2,027,098

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Patented Jan. 7, 1 936 I HOIST FOR SEMITRAILERS Harry Helms, Detroit, Micln, assignor to Highway Trailer Company, Edgerton, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application April 8, 1932, Serial No. 603,963 6 Claims. (or. 298-272) The purpose of this invention is to provide the motor truck has fulcrumed upon it at 2 a mechanism on a tractor vehicieadapted for tilthoisting arm, 3, which, as shown in Figure 1, ing the body of a semi-trailer coupled thereto for is composed of two members, 3, 3, spaced apart dumping the load, and an objectof the invention laterally at the fulcrum axis, 2, but bent so as to is to simplify the construction by utilizing the converge at 4 with parallel terminal portions, 5,5,

same connection for attaching the semi-trailer to extending close together and supporting a pivot the dumping or lifting mechanism and for couor trunnion, 6. A yoke, I, carried by the pivot, pling the semi-trailer to the tractor vehicle. It 6, extends laterally in both directions therefrom consists in the combination as herein shown and and is formed with upstanding lugs or ears, 8,

, described, and as indicated by the claims. through which a pivot shaft, 9, passes for con- 10 In the drawings: necting to the hoisting arm the lower fifth wheel Figure 1 is a plan view of a tractor vehicle fitted member, ID. Said member is formed on its unwith a power hoist adapted for lifting the semider side with depending lugs, II, engaging the trailer body for dumping its load in accordance pivot shaft, 9, and the ends of the shaft are with this invention. fitted with collars, I2, which are cradled nor- Figure 2 is a partial side elevation of a tracmally in the upwardly open notches, I3, of cartor and trailer showing the dumping mechanism Tying blocks, secured to the reel Portion of in operation. the tractor frame. When the hoisting arm is Figure 3 is a detailview, being a front elevaraised as shown in Figure 2, the collared ends tion partly in section, of the lower fifth wheel and of, the pivot shaft, 9, are lifted out of the notches, its mounting on the hoisting arm. I3, and the fifth wheel, III, is carried up bodily,

Figure 4 is a partial side elevation of a tractor remaining coupled to the frame, 20, of the trailer. and semi-trailer embodying a modified form of This frame carries the usual depending king pin, hoisting mechanism and coupler. seen in dotted outline at 2| in Figure 2. As

5 Figure 5 is a plan view of the lower fifth shown in dotted outline in Figure 1, the lower wheel and coupling means employed in the strucfifth wheel, I0, is formed with a rearwardly open ture of Figure 4. slot, I5, through which the king pin, 2|, is en- Figure 6 is a vertical section taken as inditered in coupling the tractor and trailer, and cated at line 6-6 on Figure 5. in which slot it is held captive by suitable lock- Figure 7 is a vertical section on a larger scale ing dogs, not shown in detail, but indicated at I6 30 than Figure 4, showing the coupling connections in Figure 3. This construction may be substanof that structure with some parts in section. tially like that of the Martin and Farr Patent No.

Figure 8 is a detail view indicating the opera- 1,412,025, dated April 4, 1922. tion of the coupler shown in Figures 4 to 7 during The up and down movements of the hoisting the dumping action. arms, 3, 3, may be controlled by any suitable 5 Figure 9 is a partial plan view of a tractor power mechanism; that shown comprises a pair unit fitted with modified form of hoisting and of hydraulic cylinders, l1, l1, carried on truncoupling means. nions, I8, on the frame, I, of the motor truck, and

Figure 10 is a side elevation of a trailer and 2. having piston ds, 11 extending t transverse somewhat diagrammatic transverse view of a pivot shaft 9 by which they are connected to 40 portion of the tractor showing said modified dethe arms, 3, 3, as 'm Figure Control of vice in operation the hydraulic hoist may be accomplished by any In the structure which is the subject of this invention, the mounting of the hoist or lifting 25 2 31111 5 igigi g g m the mechamsm on the tractor vehlcle instead of on In order to permit uncoupling of the trailel:

the chassis of a trailer permits of a simpler and cheaper construction for the trailer itself, and from the tractor It is provided wlth the usual allows the same hoisting mechanism to serve sevtemporary hmged f' frame 20 at eral trailers used interchangeably with a single fitted wlth road'engagmg Wheels,

V tractor. It also permits the owner of a tractor An adlustable strut 25, extends from the D- 50 to use it with an assortment of trailers designed P for engagement with suitable mechafor various purposes, among which assort t nism at 26 on the under side of the frame, 20, to there may be only one trailer constructed with a hold the support at either limit of its range of dumping body, adjustment, that is, either swung up toward the As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the frame, I, of under side of the frame, 20, as shown in Figure 2, 5

or swung down into position for engagement of the wheels, 24, with the ground.

The connection of the fifth wheel member, ID,

to the hoisting arms, 3, permits lateral rocking of the fifth wheel about the axis of the pivot, 6,

and at the same time permits the trailer frame, 26, to assume any convenient angle by swinging about the trunnion-like connection which is provided by the pivot shaft, 9. The king pin, 2|, of course permits swiveling action of the trailer frame with respect to the tractor in turning corners or traversing curved paths, and frequently it may be desirable to tilt the trailer to dumping position when the two vehicles are not in longitudinal alignment. This will be permitted by the combined pivotal action at the pivots, 6 and 9, which allows the lower fifth wheel, H), to assume any required position which may result from the swiveling movement of the trailer about the king pin, 2|, while the fifth wheel, i0, is held flatly in contact with the under surface of the upper turn table associated with the king pin.

Figures 4 to 8 show a modified construction in which the lower fifth wheel remains in position identical with that of Figure 2, and for purposes of illustration the same type of hydraulic hoisting cylinders is shown at I! cooperating with lifting arms, 3, fulcrumed at 2 on the frame, I, of the motor truck.

The supporting tables, 30, of the lower fifth wheel may be formed as integral parts of the same casting, being joined by a deep channel portion, 3|, in which the outer ends, 50, of the lifting arms, 3, are accommodated when the parts are in normal traveling position. The ends, 50, of the arms are joined to a terminal, 5|, carrying a pivot, 52, which supports a rockable socket member, 53, in which the king pin, 2|, of the trailer is lodged in coupled position. The pivot, 52, permits the socket, 53, to change its angular relation to the lifting arms, 3, 3, when the hoist mechanism is operated to elevate the forward end of the trailer chassis, 20, and it also permits the rear end of the socket to be depressed by collision of its inclined cam surface, 54, with the king pin, 2|, as the vehicles come together in the coupling operation.

In coupled relation the king pin is retained in the socket by engagement of a forked arm or yoke, 55, which is pivotally attached to the socket member, 53, at 56, so that it may swing vertically through a limited range with respect to the socket, 53. When the hoisting arm, 3, is at its lower limit, the yoke arm, 55, is held in horizontal position by engagement of its laterally extending lugs, 56 and 51, with the bottoms of notches or pockets, 58, in the sides of the channel, 3|. The yoke portion, 55 of the arm, 55, fits into the grooved or reduced portion, 2| of the king pin and thus serves to checkthe king pin against upward movement out of the socket when the vehicles are traveling, and at the same time limits forward movement of the king pin, holding it captive against the upstanding rear wall, 59, of the socket member, 53. The terminal, 5|, of the hoisting arm, and the socket, 53, which it carries, are yieldingly upheld in coupling position by means of a spring, 60, shown in Figure '7, attached to the under side of the hoisting arm and resting upon a rockable abutment, 6|, fulcrumed upon any suitable support associated with the vehicle frame. Thus when the king pin encounters the sloping cam surface, 54, it momentarily depresses the socket, 53, and the end of the hoisting arm, but these parts are returned to their upper limiting position, as shown in Figure 7, by the resiliency of the spring, 60. To permit uncoupling of the vehicles it is only necessary to rock the abutment, 6|, into non-supporting position with respect to the spring, 60, as shown in Figure 4, so that the terminal, 5|, of the hoisting arm, and the socket, 53, may drop out of engagement with the king pin, 2|, permitting the tractor to pull away from the trailer. 20 It will be understood that the temporary support, 22, will have been lowered into operative position, as shown in Figure 4, before the vehicles are thus separated.

As indicated in Figure 8, the socket member, 53, swings about its pivot, 5|, when the hoisting arm elevates the trailer chassis, 211, and body to dumping position. To forestall any possibilityof l the king pin, 2|, escaping from the socket while a the body is thus tilted up at the forward end, and the pivoted yoke arm, 55, is not checked against swinging about its pivot, 56, I provide a pair of hook-shaped extensions, 62, on the terminal, 5|, to engage laterally extending lugs, 63, on the yoke, 55. The change of angular relation between the socket, 53, and the terminal, 5|, which occurs when the hoisting arm is lowered, carries the hooks, 62, out of engagement with the lugs, 63, as seen in Figure 4.

A further modification is shown in Figures 9 and 10 in which a fifth wheel, 10, of standard construction, with the usual locking jaws, 1|, for the king pin, 12, of the upper bolster member, is carried at the rear end of the tractor frame, I, and is arranged to be elevated by a hoisting arm, I3, of branched or Y-shape formation, with its branches, 14, extending respectively to opposite ends of the transverse shaft, 15, on which the fifth wheel, 10, is tiltably carried. Portions of this shaft, 15, rest normally in the upwardly open notches, I3, of blocks, I4, similar to'those shown in Figure 2, while the extreme ends of the shaft connect the arms, 14, of the hoisting member. At the opposite end said member is pivoted for its vertical swinging movement by means of a rock shaft, 16, journaled in the bearings, 11, which are mounted on the side members of the frame, I, respectively. A sleeve, 78, secured to the shaft, 76, at its middle portion serves as the connection between the shaft and the hoisting arm, and this sleeve is formed with a transverse bearing portion, 19, bored. to receive a longitudinal pivot, 80, which is fixed in the frame or central portion of the Y-shape hoisting arm, 13.

The single hydraulic cylinder, 8|, is trunnioned 65 in the bearings, 82, on the side members of the frame, I, and its piston, 83, is connected with the hoisting arm by a ball and socket joint, 85, substantially at the junction of the diverging branches, 14, with the stem portion of the arm, 70 13. This universal connection at 84, togetherwith the longitudinal pivot, 88, permits the yoke 'to rock about the axis of said pivot in order to? accommodate the position of the fifth wheel, 10,

to any tilted or angularposition of the trailer body, as for example, when the hoisting and dumping action takes place with the trailer standing at an angle to the tractor. Such a condition is illustrated in Figure 10, which is substantially a rear elevation of the tractor but assumes the trailer to'be turned at right angles to the tractor and then tilted by the upward thrust of the piston, 83. It will be evident that the hoisting arm, 13, of this structure may be quite similar to that shown in Figure 1, being simply turned end for end, so that the transverse pivotal connection is made to the fifth wheel, III, instead of tothe frame, I, while the longitudinal pivot is provided at 80 instead of at the connection to the fifth wheel, as in Figure 1.

I claim:

1. In combination, a tractor, a semi-trailer, a separable fifth wheel including apart on the tractor and a part on the trailer engageable and disengageable by relative substantially horizontal movement, and hoisting mechanism on the tractor including an arm fulcrumed on the tractor frame ahead of said fifth wheel and having its opposite end branched for engaging said fifth wheel at opposite sides, such engagement comprising pivotal connection between the lower fifth wheel and the branches of the arm at a transverse horizontal axis, the forward end of the arm being fulcrumed upon a parallel horizontal axis, and being also swivelly connected for twisting movement about an axis at right angles to said fulcrum axissubstantially in the plane of its said branches. v

2. In combination, a tractor, a semi-trailer, a separable fifth wheel connecting them, and a hoisting mechanism on the tractor comprising a hoisting arm fulcrumed on the tractor frame ahead of said fifth wheel, and having its rear end branched for pivotal connection with the fifth wheel at opposite sides along a transverse horizontal axis, means for applying power to said hoisting arm intermediate its fulcrum and its connection to the fifth wheel, and a universal pivotal connection between said arm and the tractor frame, at the fulcrumed end of the arm permitting the fifth wheel to tilt laterally when elevated from the tractor by the hoisting arm. 3. In the combination defined in claim 2, said power means comprising a hydraulic cylinder 5 with a ram projecting therefrom and a universal joint connecting the outer end of said ram with said hoisting arm substantially at the axis of said universal connection of the arm to the frame. 4. In combination, a tractor, asemi-trailer, a fifth wheel connecting them, and hoisting mechanism on the tractor including a hoisting arm fulcrumed on the tractor frame ahead of said fifth wheel, and having its free end remote from its fulcrum engaged with the fifth wheel,

' such engagement comprising a pivotal connection at a transverse horizontal axis, the arm being fulcrumed upon a substantially parallel horizontal axis and being'also swivelly mounted for twisting movement about an axis substantially at right angles to said fulcrum axis. v

5. In combination, a tractor, a semi-trailer, a fifth wheel connecting them, and hoisting mechanism on the tractor comprising a hoisting arm connected to the tractor frame ahead of said fifth wheel with its end remote from such connection pivotally secured to the fifth wheel along a transverse horizontal axis, means for applying power to said hoisting arm intermediate its connections to the frame and fifth wheel, the connection of said arm to the tractor frame being a universal pivotal fulcrum to per. mit the fifth wheel to be tilted laterally as well as about the aforesaid transverse axis when elevated from the tractor by the hoisting arm.

6. In the combination defined in claim 5, said power means including a ram and a universal joint connecting the outer end of said ram with said hoisting arm substantially at the axis of said universal connection of the arm to the frame.

HARRY W. HELMS. 

